Cherukuri Ramoji Rao (16 November 1936 – 8 June 2024) was an Indian businessman, media proprietor and film producer.[2] He was head of the Ramoji Group which owns the world's largest film production facility Ramoji Film City, Eenadu newspaper, ETV Network of TV channels, film production company Ushakiran Movies.[3][4][5][6]
His other business ventures included Margadarsi Chit Fund, Dolphin Group of Hotels, Kalanjali Shopping Mall, Priya Pickles, ETV Win OTT platform and Mayuri Film Distributors.[7][8]
Cherukuri Ramoji Rao was born on 16 November 1936 in Pedaparupudi of Krishna District, Madras Presidency, India into an agricultural family.[12] Companies owned by the Ramoji Group include Margadarsi Chit Fund, Eenadu newspaper, ETV Network, Ramadevi Public School, Priya Foods, Kalanjali, Ushakiran Movies, and Ramoji Film City near Hyderabad. He was also the chairman of Dolphin Group of Hotels in Andhra Pradesh.
Rao's younger son, Cherukuri Suman, died of leukaemia on 7 September 2012.[13] Rao died from heart disease in Hyderabad, on 8 June 2024, at the age of 87.[14] He was cremated with state honours at Ramoji Film City, on 9 June 2024, where his memorial is expected to come up.[15]
President Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Vibhushan Award to Shri Ramoji Rao, at a civil investiture ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 12 April 2016
